Web feed device for ticket or label printing machines



F. J. BRIGGS Nov. 23, 1954 Filed sept. 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l /NVENTOR A TTORNE F. J. BRIGGS WEB FEED` DEVICE FOR TICKET OR LABEL PRINTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 24. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 with FD "Daytonron'rrcklsrv oRLATEL PRINTING MACHINES Frdrick 4,nihil niiggs, London, Englanaassigiior to Dapg (194s) Liiiiiieii, Londen, England, a British 'ciiipa'iiy Application "September 24, 1951, Serial No. 247,971

fClairn'spriei-ity, application Great Britain October 25, 1950 3 Claims. (ci. 10i- 228) This `invention relates to machines by which strips of perforated ticketor label-forming material can be overp'rinted to form, for example, a sales ticket or label.

Examples of such machines are already well known -and in general comprise a rotatable cylindrical printing drum 'whose periphery, over a limited region, is provided AWithfrneans, such as channels, for attachment thereto -of vreadily replaceable type. In addition to such type it is also `customary -to provide additional, within the type receiving means or'channels, removable feed pads or memb'e'rs ipl'aced adjacent to the type-elements but -out of alignment with the type-inking means and by which, due to the contact between such pads and the ticket material as fthe printing drum is rotated, such ticket material is automatically carried forward over a table or other supfport during each printing operation for a distance subv'stantially equal to the overall length of the ticket.

Stich a frictional method of ticket feed is insufficiently Aaccurate, by itself, to ensure that cumulative creep does not "take place with the result that the over-printed mattcr becomes out of register with the receiving area of the lticket'and it is again already well known to provide additional *correcting or rectifying claws which are reciprocated incontact'with a surface of the ticket material before printing so as to engage with the perforations be e-t'we'z'en adjacent tickets and thereby bring the aforesaid row of perforations to a predetermined registered Yposition t the' end of each printing operation.

With the known arrangements of the above kind it is 'necessary t'o place the aforesaid correcting or rectifying claws away from the cylindrical printing drum whereby they'en'gagewith thoseperforations of the ticket strip which form the trailing edge of a ticket which is one, two or even more tickets behind that ticket which is factually :being 'dealt with by the printing 'dru'm -at that instant. Thisarrangement has the disadvantage that it is impossible to secure proper registration and printing 4vof'the last ticket or tickets of a strip or roll andthe object "of thefpresent invention is to provide a simplified and cheapened construction in which such disadvantage is x"rititffpr'eseint -Y'Ac'cording to one aspect of the present invention the pr'i'ntin'g member, instead of being a complete circular tsection drum, is of sector shape in axial cross section with its circumferential Zone preferably limited to an "amount just suicient to accommodate the maximum ip'rintin'garea required, while the aforesaid correcting or 'rec'tifyin'g claws are repositioned forwardly, i. e. towards 'the -printing lmember in the direction of movement of lthe v`perforated strip, so as to reciprocate along a path 'whiehcrossesthe rotary path of the printing member and iterminates `substantially in vertical alignment with the ixisfof the printin'g'mernber whereby such claws engage directly withthe perforations of the trailing edge of the Aticket which has just-been printed upon. The use ofthe aforesaid `sector-shaped printing'membe'r"p`ro'\'7ides therequisite space, `as Vsuch member is "rotated, into which the correcting claws can move to enlgag'e `with the edge of the ticket which has just been 'printed'upon In order that the above and other features of the invention may be more readily understood one constructional-embodiment will now be described in Asome detail `wth"refer`e`nc`e`to the accor'n'panyingdrawings in which:

nited States Patent lrffice 2,694,974 Patented Nov. 23, .1954

'Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are side, 'plan and end views 'respectively -and with parts broken away, of a 'machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 4 is a `detail .perspective view illustrating the construction 'of the reclprocating correcting claws and the vmeans 'for adjustment of the terminating .position of each stroke thereof.

Figs. '5 and 6 are `fragmentary views of an adjustable friction feed device, shown in setting positions different from that of Fig. l. VThe machinelshownrin the drawings comprises a base 10 -in the form of a substantially1recrial, indicated in chain dotted lines at 16 in Fig. l, is carried inra suitable bracket, also indicated in chain dotted llinesat 17, which'isdetachably mounted Von therea'rwa'll -of the base Vlil with the aid of slots 18 (Fig. 3i).

The ticket material is guided during its travel .on =to theplate 14 ofthetable by the provision of an inn'eriside lay -19 having 4an overhang'ing edgeportion 2t) to enga-'ge vvone lateral edge of the strip vPS while theopposite lateral edge of the strip is guided by a'n outer side lay421 inthe form of an angle plate whose horizontal Aupper portion voverlies the strip. This lay member 21 is .arranged fto *be movable laterally outwards to a position asvshown in chain dotted lines in Fig. 3 to facilitate strip insertion,

by being mounted upon a sliding rod 22 which is'spring loaded at 23 to return resiliently to rtheposition shown in full line in Figs. V2 and 3.

The strip PS is 'held in contact with the plate 14 ofthe `tableby a blade 65 which is secured upon a projecting and rotatable stud 66 which is interconnected with 'the base lby a helical springodwhich tends-tourgethe blade 65 into resilient contact with the upper surface of vthe striprPS. A finger piece 67 permits the`b1ade 65 -to be'lifted'du'ringinsertion of the strip.

Provisionforadjusting the strip guiding arrangements to suit ticket material of different widths is afforded by mounting thesidelay 19 by means of a slotted lug 24 `which is slidabletransve'rsely ina guide groove ZSform'ed 'in the base 10. The lug 24 is secured in the desired adjustment position by thumb screw 26.

The printing'member is in theform of a sector-shaped 'body portion 27 having a part-cylindrical outer surface 28 slotted as shown for the reception, in theusual'way,

'of removable type elements 29. This printing member 27 is bored coaxially with. the outer type-supporting surface V23 `for the reception 'of a shaft 30 which extends through and'is journalled in the lugs 11. On the opposite side of the compartment 13 this shaft Stlhas an operating handle 31 rigidly secured thereto.

Y(2O-operating with the sector-shaped printing member 27 is an impression roller 33 rotatably mounted upon a spindle 34a and disposed within the base 10 so as to present the uppermost portion of its peripheral surface in the gap 32 formed between the adjacent ends of the 'plates 14, '15. The spindle 34 is carried in a mounting plate 3S itself rotatably mounted, by means of spindle 36,in lugs 37'which extend downwardly from the underside of theitop `of the base 10. The opposite end ofthe `spin'dle 36 is rigidly secured to lever arm 33 whose lower end carries a rotatable stud 39 which receives, in a freely rotatable but axially immovable manner, one end of an Avadjusting rod et? whichextends rearwardly andpasses,

by Way/ of an enlarged threaded region '41, through a tapped hole in the rear wall of the base portion. The outer end of the rod 4E-il terminates in an adjusting'knob 42. The spindle 34 is slightly eccentric to the spindle 36 so'that, by rotation ofthe knob 42 and the consequent rocking movement of the lever arm 33 theposition'of 0 axis of rotation of the impression roller 33 may be altered 1s`o as to raise it or lower it relative tothe printing mem- 3 ber Z7. In this way, there is provided an adjustment of the amount of printing pressure exerted so as to accommodate different thickness of ticket material.

During rotation of the operating handle 31, the type 29 carried by the printing member 27 travel past and come into light contact with an inking roller 43 formed with a peripheral surface of suitable ink absorbent character and rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 44 secured to the inwardly disposed lug 11 by an eccentric stud 70 and clamping nut 71 to permit slight alteration of position of the inking roller relative to the type.

The outer end face of the printing member 27 is fitted with a friction-feed device comprising a xed metal plate 80 having a projection 81 formed with an arcuate surface 82 limited in its length to a dimension equal to two rows of the replaceable type elements 29. This plate 8i) is rigidly secured to the member 27 so that the surface S2 lies adjacent to the end of the type receiving zone but just out of line with the inking roller 43. A second plate 83, of flexible metal is arranged in overlapping relationship with the plate 80 and is provided with a projecting arcuate surface 84, also limited in length to a dimension equal to two rows of type elements 29. The plate S3 is pivotally mounted upon the plate 80 to screw 85 at a point coaxial with the shaft and with the centres of curvature of the arcuate surfaces 82, 84. The latter lie just proud of the printing surfaces of the type elements 29 so that as the member 27 is rotated, such surfaces frictionally engage with the surface of the ticket strip material PS near to its outer edge and cause forward feeding movement. The plate 84 can be located in any one of three different positions, one as shown in Fig. l where the two surfaces 82, 84 effectively cover an arcuate length of ve rows of type elements, another as shown in Fig. 5, where the surfaces are completely overlapped to cover an arcuate length of only two rows of type and as shown in Fig. 6 where the surfaces are only partially overlapped to cover an arcuate of three rows of type. The movable plate 83 is positively located in any adjustment position by entry of a detent 86 thereon into one of several apertures 87 in the plate 80. To alter its position the plate 83 is sprung outwardly and then moved by knob 88. The arcuate surfaces 32, 84 may be ribbed or roughened to increase their tractive effect, if desired.

Co-operating with the perforations 45 in the strip PS are a series of correcting claw members 46, shown more particularly in Fig. 4. These claw members 46 are each freely pivoted upon one end of a rod 47 which extends transversely of the machine through an arcuate slot 48 in the inner lug 11 and is rigidly secured at its opposite end to the lower end of a lever arm 49 which is pivotally mounted upon a spindle 50 extending between the lugs 11 within the compartment 13. Each of the claw members 46 has a rearwardly extending tail 51 to which is rigidly connected one end of a loop shaped wire spring 52, the

forward ends of each of such springs being engaged under a bar 53 projecting from an upstanding lug 54 itself rigidly connected to the transverse rod 47. By such spring means each claw member 46 is independently urged downwardly at its forward end which is shaped to provide an engaging point 55 which can drop into any one of the available perforations 4S of the strip PS and so propel the latter in a forward direction when the claws are moved in that direction. The rearward side of each engaging point 55 is ramped to permit rising of the claw member out of engagement with the perforations 45 Jhen such claws are moved rearwardly.

The claws are oscillated bodily backwards and forwards by means of an eccentric cam disc 56 which is rigidly secured to the main operating shaft 30 and is provided with a peripheral groove 57 therein for receiving the edge of the depending lever arm 49. The cornplete claw assembly is rcsiliently urged in a forward direction by means of a helical spring 58 located within the compartment 13 and connected at its rearward end around the rod 47 and secured at its forward end to a screw 59 on the base portion 1).

The extent of forward movement of the claws by the spring 5S is adjustably limited by means of a slidable metal strip 60 carrying a turned-over outer end 61 for manipulation and sccurable in any desired adjustment position by a screw 62 passing through a slot 63 in such strip into the inner lug 11.

A drawer 68 serves to accommodate spare type and any requisite appliances for changing the type.

In operation of the device, handle 31 is rotated whereby printing member 27 is moved anti-clockwise (Fig. 1) so that the type 29 carried thereon are first caused to wipe inking roller 43 and then to travel downwardly and eventually come into printing contact with the strip ticket material PS lying upon plates 14 and 15 at a point which overlies impression roller 33. During this downward movement of printing member 27, cam disc 56 operates upon lever arm 49 to move the assemblage of claws 46 rearwardly to a position where they are out of the path of the descending printing member 27. Contact of the type 29 with the strip material PS causes printing in the usual way and, in conjunction with the arcuate surfaces 82, 84 of members 80, 33 a forward movement of the perforated strip PS due to the simultaneous rotation of the printing member and the impression roller 33. After the printing type 29 and the friction feed surfaces 82, 84 have passed out of Contact with the strip PS, the claw assembly, which has now started to move forwardly again under the inuence of the cam disc 56 and the helical tension spring 5S, first slides over the upper surface of the strip material until one or more of the claws 46 drop into a perforation 45 in such strip. Thereafter the continued forward movement of the claw assembly, consequent upon continued rotation of the handle 31, produces corresponding forward movement of the perforated strip therewith until the claw assembly is arrested at the defined register position by abutment of rod 47 against stop 69. Any further rotation of the handle 31 necessary to bring it again into the position shown in Fig. l is thereafter ineffective upon the claw assembly whereby the perforated strip is accurately registered in the required position for the next following printing operation.

By the particular formation described and shown of the printing member 27 in the form of an incomplete cylinder the necessary space is provided beneath such printing member for the positioning of the claws 46 to travel into a location which would otherwise be occupied by a part of the printing member if fully cylindrical. In this way the row of perforations 45 engaged by the claws can be that row which forms the trailing edge of the ticket which has just previously been printed upon and not, as in earlier constructions, with the trailing edge of a ticket which is one, two or more tickets displaced rearwardly from the last printed ticket.

Various modifications may obviously be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example, the general design of the device may be altered within wide limits while the shaping and construction of the correcting claws and the friction feed means can be modified in accordance with the requirements as also can the means for adjusting the forward termination position of such claws.

I claim:

1. A rotary ticket or label printing machine for use with perforated strip material comprising in combination a feed plate, means for guiding the strip over said feed plate, a rotary printing member mounted on a shaft for rotation above said feed plate and consisting of a cylindrical sector subtending an acute angle, a freely rotatable feed roller mounted for rotation underneath the feed plate, said printing member and feed roller serving for frictional feeding of said strip during printing, and positive strip feeding means adapted to register said strip in printing position comprising a plurality of feeding claws aligned transversely above said strip, means for reciprocating said feeding claws in timed relation with said printing member to engage the strip perforations once in every revolution of said printing member and to feed the strip forward below the printing member whilst cutting the cylinder of revolution described by the printing member, comprising a transverse support bar for the feeding claws, a guide for said support bar, a cam rotated by the shaft of said printing member, and a cam follower connected to said claw support bar, said printing sector being timed to approach its top centre position as the feedling claws approach the end of their forward feeding stro e.

2. A machine as claimed in claim l comprising a spring anchored to one end of said support bar to impart a forward feeding stroke to said support bar and claws, and an adjustable stop for limiting the travel of the support bar on the forward stroke.

3. A rotary ticket or label printing machine for use with perforated strip material comprising in combination a feed plate, means for guiding the strip over the feed plate, a rotary printing member consisting of a cylindrical sector mounted on a shaft above said feed plate, said sector subtending an acute angle at the shaft centre, a freely rotatable feed roller mounted for rotation underneath the feed plate, said printing member and feed roller serving for frictional feeding of said strip during printing, and positive strip feeding means adapted to register said strip in printing position comprising a plurality of feeding claws aligned transversely of said strip and means for reciprocating said feeding claws in timed relation with said printing member to engage the strip perforations once in every revolution of said printing member and whilst entering the surface of revolution described by the printing member to feed the strip forward below the said printing member, comprising a transverse support bar for the feeding claws, a guide for said support bar, a cam rotated by the shaft of said printing member, and a cam follower connected to the said claw support 5 bar, said printing sector being timed to approach its top centre position as the feeding claws approach the end of their forward feeding stroke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 265,101 Keller Sept. 26, 1882 619,209 Nathan Feb. 7, 1899 1,124,368 White Ian. 12, 1915 1,124,577 Allen Ian. 12, 1915 1,225,868 Schweiger May 15, 1917 1,497,766 Balkwill June 17, 1924 1,623,478 Jahn Apr. 5, 1927 1,750,357 Rarndor Mar. 11, 1930 2,313,347 Kohnle Mar. 9, 1943 

